The invention relates to a housing with an integrated replaceable packaging unit for compositions of a pasty consistency and to a flexible packaging unit which comprises a flexible projection. The packaging unit is especially suitable as a container for oxygen sensitive substances.
Flexible packaging units having substantially tubular bodies with ends being closed by e.g. metal clips or compressed rings are state of the art. One very common example is the application of this type of packaging unit for the packing of pasty foodstuff, above all for sausage-meat, thereby giving sausages their typical form.
The German utility model G 9207385.9 describes a cylindrical foil packaging unit with convexly bent ends, being closed by tube clips. This type of packaging system was especially developed for oxygen sensitive offset printing inks.
This improvement for packaging systems suitable for oxygen sensitive printing inks which were used up to this time was directed towards a better storage stability and a better exclusion of oxygen during the filling and emptying process. However in certain respect it shows insufficiencies:
the width of the opening, corresponding to the whole circumference of the cylindrical body once the closing is removed, makes difficult the repeated opening and closing necessary when just parts of the content are needed; particularly when only very small amounts are taken out.
moreover the resultant large surface of contact with air would inevitably lead to a decrease of quality of the composition.
additionally, the width of the opening makes an exact dosage of content a time-consuming operation risking exhaustive contact with air.
With regard to the latter problem, the insertion of said cylindrical flexible packaging unit in an conventional type of piston-cylinder dispenser was described. However, using this the content of the packaging system comes into contact with the protruded end of the dispenser, causing the well known effect of clogging of the opening after repeated applications.
The same happens with solid cartridges having solid elongated dispensing openings. Said cartridges are well known for the dispensing of adhesive and sealing materials. Usually this type of solid cartridge is clamped in a rigid housing for reasons of better handling.
This kind of combination of dispenser and packaging unit does not enable the use of packaging unit over a long period because of clogging.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a flexible packaging unit which do not show the described drawbacks.
This problem is solved with a housing containing a replaceable packaging unit made of a flexible material for the packing of compositions of a pasty consistency, whereby said housing comprises at one of its ends an elongated spout which is lined with a projection being part of said packaging unit which is longer than the elongated spout of the housing.
The flexible packaging unit for compositions of pasty consistency consists of a substantially tubular body having one end closed and having a projection at the other end which is reduced in its opening width, and particularly in its diameter, in contrast to that of the substantially tubular body.
Dispensing the pasty content through a projection of said packaging unit as described by the present invention enables:
an exact application of small quantities even without any additional means;
very easy re-closing by any type of closing means;
high protection from oxygen (air) contact, since the closing means close the package air-tightly and since the entire content of the package is contained within the oxygen impermeable package.
In one embodiment of the invention, this packaging unit is formed by a foil tube which is closed at one end by well known methods e.g. tubular clips or welding seams. The projection is formed by at least one restricting means which compresses the circumference of the substantially flexible tube at a predetermined position and to a predetermined diameter.
In a preferred embodiment, said restricting means is adjustable in radial and longitudinal direction across and along the flexible tube in order to fix the opening diameter and the length of the projection.
Preferably the ratio of tubular body length to projection length is at least 1:0.2 to 1:0.5.
The projection is closed by any suitable means, in particular any type of clip can be used.
As further enhancement for protection against oxygen contact, the projection is evacuable after the filling process and can be optionally refilled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen.
Although the several advantages are achieved with just the features of the packaging unit alone, even better results in handling are obtainable by the already described combination of the packaging unit of the present invention and a housing which is specially adapted in respect to the form of said packaging unit.
The housing of the present invention generally has the form of a known piston cylinder applicator. It consists of a housing made of an inflexible or, at least, sufficiently press/force resistant material having at one of its ends an elongated spout and, on the other end, opposite to the elongated spout, a piston movable across the longitudinal axis of the housing for forcing the content of the packaging unit through the elongated spout by pressure. The projection of the packaging unit is adjusted in its dimensions so that the inner part of the elongated spout is lined by the projection and, therefore, does not come into contact with the pasty content of the packaging unit. By that means, clogging of the elongated spout is avoided.
The projection of the packaging unit is longer than the protruding end of the cartridge, when inserted. More exactly it is to such an extent longer that the upper end of the projection can be cut and closed by any conventional clip or any other means. In case the opening of the projection is clogged by hardened content, a simple cut of the end of the projection will again guarantee a free flow of the content.
Furthermore, with this special feature of combination of packaging unit and housing, the content of the packaging unit cannot come into contact with the housing and in particular not with the protruded end of the housing. This enables the user to exchange packaging units when they have been emptied. The exchange procedure is very simple due to a housing consisting of two separate parts. This kind of packaging unit ensures that there is no loss in quality of its content. Thus, even after repeated use of the same packaging unit over a long period, the quality of the product is comparable with that of an unused new one.
In a further embodiment of the present invention the housing comprises means in its elongated spout for emptying the projection of the packaging unit. This may be realised in that, in the lower part of the elongated spout in at least one inlet, a second piston is inserted, which is adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the elongated spout for emptying the projection of said foil packaging unit. This is of particular advantage for either expensive contents or contents which would lead to disposal problems should the packaging unit not be completely emptied.